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An image posted back in November by @evleaks, which showed a red Nokia device, is now being reported as the company’s first step into the Android realm. As reported by The Verge, the device, which is codenamed Normandy internally, is supposedly set to launch in 2014 running a forked version of Android – much like Amazon does with its Kindle line of tablets. According to one source inside Nokia, Normandy is “full steam ahead.”

The device is said to be a low-cost unit, allowing those at lower income levels to have full access to helpful applications and mobile Internet capabilities. As of right now, it apparently supports Skype (naturally) and other popular Android applications.

What makes Nokia’s interest in the Android OS a bit more interesting, is that Microsoft recently announced the purchase of Nokia, but the deal is still not completely finalized. From what the new report states, Nokia could look to push this device out before Microsoft attempts to axe its plans, given that it is safe to assume that Microsoft would rather push its Windows Mobile OS instead of helping Google any further in emerging markets.

Regardless of the politics, you have to give credit to Nokia who will apparently do anything they can to stay in the pockets of consumers. Keep in mind, Nokia’s former CEO was never been the biggest fan of Google and Android, so maybe Nokia has changed up its tune and is now open to other avenues.

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Nokia already made some open source tablets. Does nobody remember the Nokia 770. I got it off woot for like a 100 bux in 2005

hoosiercub88

Give me a 1020 with Android on it.. I’ll pass on this.

Chris

silly nokia. Android is for the big dogs

http://BGR.COM/ riggs

“Normandy” …. as in D-Day?

MichaelFranz

im interested to see what they bring to the table. thats about all

Steve B

You lost me at “budget-minded Android device.”

http://www.frivjuego.co/ Friv juego

If the comparison of models I still prefer to use the product over Sam Sung, but in terms of the application as well as durability, the more I like NOKIA, many thanks that information, I have added the facility when choose suitable products for yourself.

Joe Freddy

To all who think this is an android device… Its an Asha platform device. See the switch in the middle its a single one like asha not three like android

Adriano Corte Real

Give me a 920 with Android on it and you can have all my money.

Just_Some_Nobody

Ugh. Forked Android.

http://people.ign.com/mrfrodo24 MrFrodo24

I spy with my little eye, the power button…. under the volume rocker! Has this been done before?

paul_cus

It’s that way on my Sony Xperia ZL.

Joshua Sotnick

A single capacitive button? and it’s the back button? Why?

Steve B

Have you used a kindle? OEM’s do crazy stuff with Android.

BB BB

It will be Good to have a build quality and camera like Nokia’s running android but now that Microsoft owns them it will be squashed somehow as only Ms knows how to do. It would be funny to see them sold at the Microsoft store.

cwillen

The wonderful thing about Android is that it truly puts the future in the hands of the consumers. If Nokia does something dumb like build a “Kindlesc” phone, no one is going to buy it and it sends a signal to the manufactures on what NOT to do. Amazon was able to pull it off because they have a full ecosystem for app and media distribution that their users can tap into. Nokia on the other hand does not have anything remotely close to what Amazon, Google or Apple offers

Hopefully Nokia is more looking to do something similar to HTC with a custom ROM, but it’s becoming more and more apparent that Android users prefer a stock (or near stock) experience, with an expedited update schedule. This is what has turned Motorola around.

Nokia should have gone with Android instead of MS in the first place. Now they are grasping at a faint hope that they can get into the Android game before they are swallowed by MS. They are most likely going to go the way of BlackBerry soon.

Tim242

The Android game is crowded. They wouldn’t be any better over here.

Guest

41mp android camera. Yes please.

Chris

MP are not everything.

Tim242

They are definitely something.

MistaButters

More Chin that Fat Bastard.

AbbyZFresh

Too late Nokia. Motorola is already set to take over the budget market with the G. You guys should’ve released this a year or two ago.

Franklin Ramsey

And yet, Nokia has already proven their 520 and 521 are great phones under $100 and they have sold very well. That’s cheaper than the Moto G.

J. Gilbertson

But how much are 520/521s off contract?

Evan Knofsky

$50 and $80 I believe it is.

hyperbeatser

so in their version of android, all you do is go back?

Sambit Rayginale Willkonson

hello hyperbeatser, I do enjoy your profile photo. it is very amusing!

http://www.droid-life.com/ Tim-o-tato

what in the f….

rthvk

Don’t worry Tim. I’ve come to associate Sambit with stupid

hyperbeatser

more like creepy…

Sambit Rayginale Willkonson

I like it the same, hypebeatser!

Sambit Rayginale Willkonson

rthvk, that is very disrespectful, i went to college!

Sambit Rayginale Willkonson

Hello Tim-O-Tato i do enjoy your show very much thank you, Sambit.

Blue Sun

I honestly stopped reading after I got to “forked”. Not interested in the least. I was hoping Nokia might play both sides of the MS/Google fence. In the Android ecosystem, forking does not lead to spooning.

Matthew DiGiacomo

Genius

chris125

If they would release a high end device with their signature camera…..WOW. One can only hope.

Eric R.

1520 with Android

StuckOnVerizonForever

1020*

T4rd

Yes, 1520 is way too big, and I’m a Note 2 user.

Eric R.

1020 has 2012 specs and it’s almost 2014, so 1520

StuckOnVerizonForever

I’d take that camera over anything.

skaterjosh98

I cant see how MS would allow this to happen. Also if Nokia were to make a Android handset I certainly wouldnt want it to be a low end model.

In the same way that Google allowed Motorola to push out the last of their product line before they released the Moto X.

Averix

Yeah, but those were still Android devices. Imagine if Motorola’s last lineup had been Windows Phone. I doubt they would have seen the light of day. I’ll take this whole article with a large grain of salt until we see it announced. MS will kill it if it exists.

michael arazan

Did you not read the article? MS has NOT finalized the deal yet with Nokia. So MS has no say whatsoever over what Nokia can do right now. They could burn the place to the ground if they wanted.

Good_Ole_Pinocchio

I’m pretty sure this will be dead as of the Microsoft aqusition. And either way who wants a Damn forked Android. Nobody wants it.

I would bet a large percentage of them do. The ones who don’t wouldn’t care anyway.

michael arazan

IDK, Millions have gone into device planning , testing, and manufacturing. If they recall all the devices, then what? Wasted millions.

jamdev12

Normandy, heh? Sounds like some WW2 reference to Allied Forces taking the Third Reich by surprise. Is Nokia setting themselves up as the good guys against the evil empire that is Google?

chris125

or maybe the good guys against Microsoft

RoninX

Or maybe this is the beachhead for Microsoft to attempt to take over Android.

In a few months…

“We’ve discontinued WP, and all future Nokia phones will be Windroid devices that can only download apps from the Windroid Store.”

Tyler

Honestly if they created a metro app and skinned android to look like wp8 that could be successful seeing that you would get best of both worlds, assuming you like wp8 that is.

michael arazan

Giving a windows device, that runs android and easily uses android apps, but with access to windows features. Interesting.

StuckOnVerizonForever

Scroogggglleeee

JMonkeYJ

The code name Normandy doesn’t seem like a coincidence. Let’s see how their invasion fares…

Kevin

Maybe a guy named Norman Davis head’s up the project.

Kevin

Or maybe Norm & Andy

DoctorJB

Maybe this is for leverage in the negotiations with Microsoft, remind Ballmer that he needs them a lot more than they need him.

http://petervideos.com/ Peter Mansour

If this happens, there will be a World War 3

El_Big_CHRIS

lol from thermonuclear to WW3

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